One of Those
by Lady Akita
Summary: Both Snape and Harry knew it was going to be one of those days as soon as they woke up. Little did either of them know how true that would be.


**Title: **One of _Those  
_**Author: **Lady Akita  
**Rating: **PG for language  
**Summary:** Both Snape and Harry knew it was going to be one of _those_ days as soon as they woke up. Little did either of them know how true that would be.  
**Warning:** Potential slash between Harry and Snape. Not sure yet, but that's where I tend to angle. None yet, but you've been warned.  
**Disclaimer: **Potter is owned by Roling and others and I'm just playing with them. They'll survive. Mostly.

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****One of _Those_ – Prologue – Not Worth Breathing

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Harry could tell it was going to be one of _those_ days as soon as he was jolted out of sleep by someone's incessant alarm charm. All evidence seemed to be showing that the day would be pleasant, so Harry knew that something was going to go horribly wrong. ** Harry could tell it was going to be one of days as soon as he was jolted out of sleep by someone's incessant alarm charm. All evidence seemed to be showing that the day would be pleasant, so Harry knew that something was going to go horribly wrong. 

Despite the hustle and bustle of his roommates, nervous chatter signaling that they were all going to be horribly late, Harry climbed slowly and cautiously from his bed. As soon as he left the sanctuary of his curtained bed, Seamus and Dean gave him strange looks, Neville was watching him with confusion radiating from every pore, and Ron approached him, looking as if he had just swallowed one of the twin's lemon tarts.

"Umm, Harry? You feeling alright, mate?" His best friend stumbled over the words. Ron then reached out as if to touch him, but stopped short, paused, and then retreated. "Harry?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at the redheads behavior and shrugged. He then frowned,; his shoulders felt bit too tight. "Yeah, I fell fine. Why?"

"You might want to have a glance in the mirror, Harry," Dean spoke up. When Harry looked at him, he just shrugged and motioned to one of the five mirrors lining the back wall of the room. "Trust me. Have a look."

Harry blinked. The morning was defiantly taking a spin for the worst. With a sigh, and a sinking stomach, he made his way over to his mirror. What he saw made him groan loudly.

Yes, this defiantly was turning out to be one of _those_ days.

* * *

Severus had been enjoying a quiet breakfast in his rooms when he received Dumbledore's message. After retrieving it from the remnants of his porridge, he found that it contained only a single demand, worded as a genteel request. _"Your presence is requested in my office at your earliest convenience. – AD"_

Severus knew full well that this wasn't a pleasant request, but a summons; "earliest convenience" was just Albus's way of saying, "Now, damn-it!". So with a long suffering and equally disgusted sigh, Severus banished what was left of his breakfast, reset his wards, and quickly stalked his way out of his dungeons.

And it had started out as a less then dreadful day.

* * *

Harry sat on the stool that Professor McGonagall had transfigured for him and swung his feet in an effort to take his mind off of the growing headache that had decided to take up residence behind his left eye. The Headmaster and Harry's Head of House were sitting near him discussing something about the lower years; he wasn't really paying them much mind, he had other things to mull over than whether or not the curriculum was too difficult or not. 

Like his new appearance.

Harry had no idea how this had happened. He hadn't done any spells or charms or taken any potions that weren't something he did on an everyday basis. He hadn't been hexed in the last week. He hadn't even worried about Voldemort in the past three days; thankfully the nightmares and visions had tampered off so he could get some sleep. But nothing came to mind that could have caused this.

It was probably just his rotten luck anyway. Or maybe Voldemort had managed to curse him somehow, with out him noticing anything. Or maybe Neville did it because Harry had refused to play Exploding Snap! with him last night. Harry shook his head at the very idea; Neville had only offered up the game because he had wanted to avoid the fire-call he knew he was going to get from his Grandmother that night. No, now he was just grasping at straws.

A knock at the Headmaster's door drew him out of his thoughts. Dumbledore smiled and said, "That must be Severus. Do come in, Severus!"

Harry's stomach dropped even more and he had to hold back a wince as his left eye began to throb painfully. Just when he thought the day couldn't get any worse. He knew he shouldn't have bothered to wake up this morning; nothing but trouble, that was all being awake was about, trouble.

* * *

Severus had to choke back a sigh when he heard Albus's cheerful voice. The Headmaster was insufferable on a normal day, but something told him that today would be anything but normal. The fact that he'd actually woken up cheerful could attest to that. Taking a moment to steel himself, and to make sure that his customary sneer was in place, he pushed the door open and entered the office, feeling as if he was entering the lair of a dangerous predator. 

He didn't even make it a step into the room before he spotted Potter. And a soon as he did, his stomach dropped to his ankles and what porridge he had managed to eat turned to stone. He knew he should have stayed in bed; waking up cheerful had to have been a warning.

"Severus, please, have a seat and we will get started," Dumbledore smiled at his Potions Instructor and motioned to the empty chair next to Potter.

As he sat, Severus could feel a headache settling behind his right temple. Some days it just wasn't worth remembering how to breathe. This was one of those.

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**End Prologue**


End file.
